WILLEMSTAD - The General Audit Chamber of Curaçao has called on the government to clarify the legal and accounting status of the Crime-Fighting Fund (Criminaliteitsbestrijdingsfonds), warning that ongoing uncertainty about how the fund should be reported in the national accounts threatens the credibility of Curaçao’s public finances.
In its August 18, 2025 report “Traject naar een goedkeurende controleverklaring bij de jaarrekening 2026”, the Chamber notes that no clear legal guidance exists on whether the fund — which holds assets seized during criminal proceedings — should be considered part of the government’s financial statements.
Under the old 1953 Comptabiliteitsverordening, the fund was required to maintain a separate set of financial statements. However, the current Landsverordening Comptabiliteit 2010 (Lv C-2010) makes no mention of the fund, leaving auditors unable to determine whether the seized assets belong to the state or must be recorded independently.
“This ongoing uncertainty must be resolved,” the Chamber warns, adding that millions of guilders in confiscated assets could remain unaccounted for or improperly reported if the issue is not clarified before the 2026 audit.
The report also points to similar irregularities in asset management, including unsubstantiated transfers between fixed asset accounts and unverified receivables that lack documentation. These deficiencies, it says, continue to undermine the integrity of Curaçao’s financial reporting.
To prevent further audit complications, the Chamber urges the government to review and amend the Lv C-2010, ensuring clear rules on how special-purpose funds and seized assets must be recorded. The issue has persisted for several years and remains one of the main obstacles to a clean audit opinion on the country’s financial statements.
“The government must determine whether these funds are part of state assets,” the Chamber concludes, “and account for them accordingly to ensure full transparency and legality in Curaçao’s financial management.”
